Commercial Escape of Water Claims
Commercial Escape of Water Insurance Claim Ireland
A burst pipe, a failed tank or a leaking heating system can soak a commercial premises in minutes, and the damage you can see is rarely the full story. We manage your escape of water claim end to end so you recover what your policy genuinely owes you.
CBI Regulated · No Win, No Fee · Trevor Kelly MSCSI MRICS
Escape of Water vs Flood
The policy distinction that decides what is covered
These two terms sound similar, but in your policy wording they mean very different things, and the difference can determine whether your claim is paid in full or disputed. Escape of water means water that escapes internally from your own systems: a burst pipe, a failed water tank, a leaking heating or sprinkler system, an overflowing appliance. Flood means external water entering the building, such as a river bursting its banks, rising groundwater or surface water from heavy rain.
Most commercial policies cover escape of water as standard, while flood cover is often a separate item that may carry its own excess or exclusions. Getting the cause correctly identified and correctly described from the outset matters: the words used in the early paperwork shape how the insurer treats the whole claim. If your loss was caused by external water instead, see our guidance on a commercial flood damage claim.
- Burst pipes & joints sudden internal pipe failure
- Water tanks failed storage and header tanks
- Heating systems radiators, boilers and pipework
- Sprinklers & appliances internal systems and fittings
Hidden Damage
The damage you cannot see is usually the costly part
Water travels. It runs along joists, soaks into cavity walls, wicks up plasterboard and pools beneath floor coverings long after the surface looks dry. By the time staining, swelling or a musty smell appears, moisture may already be sitting behind walls, above ceilings and under floors where it quietly degrades the building fabric.
This is why early professional assessment matters. A surface mop-up that ignores trapped moisture can lead to warped floors, blown plaster, corroded fixings and mould weeks later, often after the insurer believes the claim is closed. We bring in proper moisture readings and document the true extent before any quick fix masks it, so the settlement reflects the real scope of works rather than the part that happens to be visible on day one. From the structure itself to the trading you lose while it dries, we document and value every head of loss, structural drying, ceilings and floors, electrics and equipment, stock and contents, business interruption, and any secondary damage or mould, so nothing is quietly left out of the settlement.
- Behind walls saturated cavities and plasterboard
- Above ceilings soaked insulation and joists
- Under floors trapped moisture and screed
- Moisture mapping evidence before any quick fix
How It Works
How we manage your escape of water claim end to end
From the first call to the final payment, we act for you, the policyholder, while the insurer’s loss adjuster acts for the insurer. That structural difference is the reason it pays to have your own expert.
We attend the premises, identify the cause, take moisture readings and assess the true extent behind the surfaces, at no cost and no obligation.
We review your wording to confirm cover, then build a fully documented claim covering structure, contents, equipment and business interruption.
We lodge the claim, manage the insurer’s loss adjuster, push for interim payments where appropriate and negotiate every head of loss on your behalf.
We work toward the best possible settlement under your policy and see the reinstatement funded, keeping you informed throughout.
Interim Payments
Protecting your cash flow while the premises dry out
Escape of water claims often involve a slow drying period before any reinstatement can start, and that gap can put real pressure on cash flow: wages still fall due, suppliers still need paying, and trading may be reduced for weeks. You do not always have to wait for the entire claim to conclude before money moves.
Where the position supports it, we build an interim payment strategy: we evidence the loss early, agree the parts of the claim that are not in dispute, and press the insurer for staged payments so funds reach you when you need them rather than only at the very end. We pursue the strongest possible outcome under your policy; we never guarantee a specific figure, and we keep you informed at each stage. For the trading side, read more about a business interruption insurance claim, and for the wider building loss see our commercial property insurance claim service.
- Early evidence documented to support a request
- Staged payments pursued during drying works
- Undisputed items agreed and released sooner
- No win, no fee our fee is a percentage of settlement
Why Choose Us
Why Irish businesses choose us for water damage claims
We are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland under Reg. No: C423441, and the firm is RICS/SCSI accredited, so you deal with qualified, accountable professionals throughout. Led by Trevor Kelly MSCSI MRICS, our team of building surveyors understands how water moves through a building, so hidden damage is identified and valued, not missed.
We act only for you, never the insurer. Our work is no win, no fee: our fee is an agreed percentage of the settlement we secure for you. To understand the role in more detail, read what an independent commercial loss assessor does for your claim.
- Regulated & accountable CBI Reg. No: C423441, RICS/SCSI accredited
- Surveyors who read the damage hidden loss identified and valued
- Squarely on your side we act only for you, never the insurer
- No win, no fee an agreed percentage of the settlement
across Ireland since 2009
Central Bank of Ireland regulated. RICS/SCSI accredited. No win, no fee.
Client Feedback
Trusted by business owners across Ireland
A pipe failed above our suspended ceiling over a weekend and the whole back office was soaked. They took moisture readings straight away and found damp in walls we thought were fine. The final settlement covered far more than I expected to get on my own.
A burst heating pipe shut our shop for weeks. They dealt with the insurer’s loss adjuster from start to finish and secured an interim payment that kept us afloat while the floor dried out. I would not have known to even ask for it.
Common Questions
Your questions, answered
We work on a no win, no fee basis. Our fee is an agreed percentage of the settlement we secure for you, confirmed in writing before we start, so there is nothing to pay up front. If there is no settlement, there is no fee.
It matters a great deal. Escape of water means water from your own internal systems, such as a burst pipe or failed tank, and is usually covered as standard. Flood means external water entering the building and is often a separate item with its own excess or exclusions. We make sure the cause is correctly identified and described so your claim is handled under the right section of your policy.
Stop the source if it is safe to do so, isolate the water and electrics where needed, and protect stock and equipment from further damage. Take photographs and videos before anything is moved or cleaned up, and keep any damaged items. Then call us before a quick mop-up hides the trapped moisture, so the true extent is recorded from the start.
Yes. Water travels along joists, into cavity walls and under floors long after the surface looks dry, and problems like warped floors, blown plaster and mould can appear weeks later. We take proper moisture readings and document the real extent behind walls, ceilings and floors before any quick fix masks it, so it is valued as part of the claim rather than discovered after the insurer believes the matter is closed.
The timeline varies with the complexity of the loss and the drying period, so we will not promise a fixed date, but we keep the claim moving and pursue interim payments where the position supports it. By evidencing the loss early and agreeing the undisputed parts, we press the insurer for staged payments so funds can reach you during the works rather than only at the very end.
Yes, we manage the claim end to end. We lodge the claim, handle the insurer’s loss adjuster, prepare the documentation and negotiate every head of loss on your behalf, so you can focus on running your business rather than chasing the insurer.
Yes. We regularly take on claims that are already under way, including ones where an offer has been made or the claim feels stuck. We will review your policy and the position so far, free of charge, and tell you honestly whether we can improve the outcome before you accept anything.
We act for businesses across Ireland nationwide. We are based in Rush, Co. Dublin, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland under Reg. No: C423441, and RICS/SCSI accredited.
Water damage at your premises?
Talk to us before the insurer does
Get a free, no obligation assessment of your escape of water claim from a Central Bank of Ireland regulated loss assessor. No win, no fee.
